NIMCET 2026 — Computer PYQ

The correct option is 3. IMAP – Internet Message Access Protocol.

Explanation:

To understand why IMAP is the correct answer, let's look at the specific purpose of each protocol mentioned in the options:

• IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol): This protocol is used by a client application (like Outlook, Gmail app, etc.) to retrieve and read messages from a mail server. It allows users to view and manage emails directly on the server, synchronization across multiple devices happens seamlessly. Another protocol used for reading emails is POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3).

• SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol): Unlike IMAP, SMTP is strictly used for sending/transferring emails from a client to a server, or between different mail servers. It cannot be used to pull or read emails from a server.

• DNS (Domain Name System): This protocol maps human-readable domain names (like example.com) to machine-readable IP addresses (like $\mathrm{192.0.2.1}$). It is not an email delivery or retrieval protocol.

• ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol): This is a network layer protocol used by network devices to send error messages and operational information (for example, used in the ping command). It has no relation to handling email services.

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